The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-30
EATEN By FLAMES AT SEA
BURNING OF THE STEAMSHIP BEN
HOPE OFF TYBEE.

Edge-The Crew Forced to Abandon
the Red-Hot Vessel and is Rescued
and Brought Safely to Port The
Captains Story of the Disaster.
The pilot boat Mary Odell, W. J. Thomp-
son master, arrived up yesterday morning
with Capt. Patrick Doyle and eighteen of
the crew of the British steamer Ben Hope.
The Captain and his men were picked up in
Tybee roads about Z o'clock in the morning
by the Odell, which had been over towards
Catalogue Sound.
Capt Doyle reported that his vessel
caught fire Thursday morning about forty
miles off shore, and he and his men had to
abandon her. She was then some sixty
miles or more southeast of Tybee. The Ben
Hope left New York on Sunday morning
with cargo Of 5000 cases of crude petro-
leum
DISCOVERING THE FIRE.
At O'Clock Thursday morning the second
engineer, r, j. Houghton, went down below
in the after part of the steamer TO oil the
bearings of the machinery. A sort of tun-
mel had been left around the shaft in storing
the cargo, and while making his way
through this passage with a safety lamp he
discovered smoke pouring up from among
the cases. He hurried on deck and reported
to First Mate Douglass, who Immediately
called the Captain
All hands were brought on deck, the don
key engine was started to pumping and two
streams of water were soon playing on the
flames.
HEADED FOR LAND.
The steamer was headed for shore. A
very light wind was blowing from the south
east at the time and there was not much sea
running. In ten or fifteen minutes after the
fire was discovered one of the cases ex-
ploded with a dull report. That
scattered the flames all around, and in
second or two other cases began popping
Directly a whole tier went off together and
blew the hatch coverings up, but they fell
back in place again. From that on the ex-
plosions were almost without intermission.
The reports were like heavy musketry
firing. except that they were. not so sharp,
and the heavens were all aglow with the
reflection from the flames
THE FLAMES INCREASING.
Every moment the fire grew fercer and
the heat more intense. Just back of the
engine room was a heavy iron bulkhead.
The Captain hoped that he would be able to
conine the fire to the after part of the ship,
and kept the water playing on the deck
and the burning cargo. All the crew could
do, however, seemed to have no effect on
the burning oil. The iron sides of the YES
sci were heated red-hot above the water
line, and the light pine deck burned almost
as readily as the petroleum. When the
bulkhead got red-hot it set fire to the engi-
peer's quarters and the engine room. BY .
O'Clock the steering chains had burned in
two, and the steamer after that was tossed
about at the pleasure OF the waves.
FOUGHT FOOT BY FOOT
Foot by foot the crew was driven fighting
further and further forward. They had
got down the boats soon after the fire was
discovered. There were twenty-five souls al
told on board. While some of the crew were
sent aloft to cut away the canvas others
were set to provisioning the two life boats
and the Captains gig. The balance of the
men did what they could to stay the flames.
When day was breaking the deck timbers
aft fell in with crash The masts were of
iron up to the topmast, and the rigging was
of wire, so that there was little there TO burn.
SEVEN HOURS BATTLE.
For seven hours the crew battled against
odds, and at 8 o'clock, when all hands were
exhaused they were compelled to abandon
their ship. She had been settling slowly for
some time for her sides had warped
and cracked and water had
been coming in at number
of places Each boat was provisioned and
each one had q compass. The Captain and
nine men took to one of the life boats; the
first mate and eight men took to the other,
the gig.
ABANDONED THE SHIP.
All three of the boats were strong and
the gig and the first mates boat We're pro
vided with sails. Capt. Doyle instructed
the boats to steer northwest and keep to
gether, if possible. When they passed out
of sight of the ship her main topmast was
burning. She was very low in the water
then, and the Captain is quite sure that she
sunk before night
- Until noon on Thursday the three
boats kept close together. About that
time, though, Second Mate j. A.
Dundas raised his canvas and soon
ran out of sight to the northwest. The
other boats came on more slowly Capt
Doyle improvised sails out of some burgess
which he had saved. During Thursday
night his boat lost sight of the first mates
He kept lights burning and during the
morning they came together again.
RESCUED OFF TYBEE.
They passed over the bar awhile after sun
rise, and were making for Savannah when
they saw the pilot boat. Signals of distres:
were made, and the Odell came alongside
md picked up both boats. They contained
Capt Doyle William p. Douglass. first mate
Robert Goodacre, August Stocker Shad
rack Kemp, c. G. Hawkins, Franci:
Kelly, George Lindsay, Andrew Elliott
Reginald j. Houghten, Gustave Gergo, VIII
liam Haswell, James Burton, Francis Rad
ford, Simon Saycant and Yam Borst
BROUGHT TO THE CITY.
Mr.. Thompson sent them all below anc
gave them breakfast, and then started ur
TO the city. The wind got higher and blew
half gale after the quarantine station was
passed. At Fort 0glethorhe the Odell's
nlaipssll was split and she signaled the tug
Republic, which took her in tow and brought
all up the river.
Second Mate Dundas, with H. Morley
boatswain, K. Cundle, Thomas Colquitt and
Albert Parpart were not heard from during
the day.
STILL MISSING.
1t is supposed that they went ashore on
Warsaw or Ossabaw Islands, or possibly
they went farther up the coast. There +
very little apprehension for their safety, rs
they had plenty of provisions and really
ought TO have made land before the other
boats. When the Captain got to Savannah
he reported the disaster 70 tho British Vice
Consul, Mr. Robertson, and cabled the
steamers owner, Joseph Hoult, Of Liverpool
The Ben Hope was built nj Barrow in
Furness, England, in lsS5, and cost in the
neighborhoOd OF Sl25,0D0 She wa,
1000 tons net and was 260 feet over all